YouTube Music's new 'don't recommend artist' button only works where it matters least

YouTube's ability to generate and push an algorithm that feels truly personal is one of its main strengths, and that extends to the platform's dedicated music app too.

However, whenever you're at the mercy of YouTube's algorithm, there's always a chance that stray artists or tracks can make their way into your playlists.

Related

YouTube Music is the best music streaming service and it's not due to its audio quality

Stop obsessing over audio quality

Posts 72
By  Parth Shah

Imagine your ex's favorite band encroaching on your playlist. The more you play it, the more the algorithm starts recommending it. Up until now, YouTube Music users have had no real way of preventing this from happening. That might soon change.

As pointed out by Reddit user RouFGO on the r/YouTubeMusic subreddit, the streaming giant might be rolling out a dedicated 'Don't recommend artist' button to the app (via Android Authority).

According to the user, the new option currently only shows up on songs that appear on your YouTube Music home page. The button does not show up on tracks in a queue or playlists, which are usually the primary areas where stray tracks and artists show up.

Considering that the home page primarily features your quick picks, the button's appearance only on the home page doesn't really make sense. However, it is a start.

The new button is popping up for me on iOS, but not on Android. Additionally, even on the home page, it does not show up for each track or artist.

In my experience, the feature works as intended. Once you go through with the block, you will not see said artist show up in your recommendations until you remove the block. Once you block an artist, a small 'undo' button will appear on your screen for a few seconds. This lets you quickly reverse your decision.

Apart from the quick Undo menu, I haven't really been able to spot a dedicated section for 'blocked' artists in the app's settings. Considering that the new feature seems to be in early testing, a proper section for it within the app's settings should eventually show up.

Has the new button shown up for you? On Android or iOS? Let us know in the comments below!